Using the Parameters
VOCALOID2 & VOCALOID3's Parameters VEL （Velocity） Velocity determines how quickly the singers pronounces the note/word, thus influencing consonant trailings and consonant durations. Higher velocities result in shorter consonantshttp://piapro.jp/t/stAt[http://piapro.jp/t/HFPF link]. This parameters affects particularly the fricatives and affricates, specially like "s" and "f" sounds - subjectively increasing the attack of the lyric. In VOCALOID2, large adjustments doesn’t do much, so usually people didn’t adjust this value very much. However in VOCALOID3, this parameter indeed affects significantly the consonant length, making critical adjust it for achieve a correct pronunciation. As it affects the consonant length, it can move the beginning of a note closer to, and sometimes even so that it overlaps, the preceding note. In the case of plosives this can sometimes result in an almost silent preparatory interval prior to sounding of the actual consonant. VEL parameters work differently across Vocaloid and Vocaloid2; In Vocaloid1, it manipulates the volume of the note. Take note of this if you ever attempt to export a VSQ file into a Vocaloid MIDI file. DYN （Dynamics） Adjusts the Dynamics, basically the volume of a note. Allows you to create effects like crescendo or diminuendo, and when it's used effectively adds expressiveness. The default "curve" is a straight line at the medium dynamic value. To get a more realistic voice, its advisable that you vary this per note. Start high at the beginning of the note and slightly sloop it downwards as the note goes on. Some users go for an arc action, starting near high at the beginning of the note and ascending up in an arc before swooping downwards. This is done to mimick a singer closely. Regardless, for realism play around with this setting. Also allows you to do manually the attacks and accents in the song. Dynamics also are not advisable to be too high across the song. While they raise the volume, on lower grade computers they will increase the "crackling" effect if one adjusts Vocaloids mixer. Particularly true if one has more than one vocaloid singing. BRE （Breathiness） Control of the weight of the voice’s breathing. Higher values add more breath to the voice. It's one of the parameters that you can edit through the Singer Editor to create your own voice configurations for singers. BRI （Brightness） Boosts or cuts the voice’s high-frequency content. Adjusts the “brightness” of the voice. Higher values produce a brighter, more "present" sound, while lower values produce a more mellow effect. Lower values can effectively simulate gently delivered or even whispered phrases. Also affects the volume. Along a lower brightness there's a lower volume and vice-versa Brightness can be useful in more ways than one. If you don't start off at the maximum limit, start lower down instead, on long drawn out notes, you can raise the brightness. This can add power to a long out note. Or in the opposite direction, this can be used to further mimick a singer by gently allowing notes to trail off quietly. For some voicebanks, you may also be using this for control on a few Phonemes to strengthen their understandability, or for control the attack/accent. You can also use it for the climax of a song, making the notes louder for impact. It's one of the parameters that you can edit through the Singer Editor for create your own voice configurations or singers. CLE （Clearness） Sharpen the voice. Higher values produce a sharper, clearer sound while lower values produce a more muted sound. It is the Vocaloid software's equivalent of treble. It affects consonant phonemes' pronunciation, those ones becomes harsher and more notorious. Also the roboticness and synthesizer's artifacts are increased if you raise this parameter too much. Also affects the volume. Along a lower clearness there's a lower volume and vice-versa. It's one of the parameters that you can edit through the Singer Editor for create your own voice configurations or singers. OPE （Opening） Reproduce the variation of pronunciation through adjustments of the opening of the mouth. Higher opening values can produce a clear, open tone, while reducing the opening value can produce a less distinct tone or pronunciation. This also affects the pronunciation. The open vowels are the most affected by this parameter. In the editor, by default, it's set in the highest value. In VOCALOID2, it's one of the parameters that you can edit through the Singer Editor for create your own voice configurations or singers. This is no longer available in the Singer Editor for VOCALOID3, as the parameter was modified to work in a similar fashion to the VEL (through individual control bars for each note, intead an editable curve, as occurs with the other parameters) GEN （Gender Factor） The Gender Factor modifies the formant structure of the voice, effectively altering the "masculinity" or "femininity" of the voice, without break the original foundation of the voice. Higher values increases "masculinity" and/or "age", while lower values decreases the "age" or increases "femininity" of the voice (too low values can produces a "chipmunk-like" voice) As this parameter is modifies the formants, it can alter until certain degree the pronunciation of the vowels and other phoneme, specially if is combined with other parameters. It's one of the parameters that you can edit through the Singer Editor for create your own voice configurations or singers. POR （Portamento Timing） Adjustment of the Portamento’s starting position. Portamento can be defined as gliding between two pitches. Portamento should be used in moderation as this can create the impression of drunken singing if used haphazardly, especially when there are short notes with drastic changes of pitch. If used effectively, gives a more human feel. PIT （Pitch Bend） Adjustments the pitch. Required for the removal of certain nuances and for add more expressiveness. Sometimes used instead of portamento to create a specific kind of pitch bend. How much it affects the pitch, is determined by the PBS.MATT TRIES TO EXPLAIN PIT AND PBS IN VOCALOID The PIT also affects the brightness and the clearness. Along a higher PIT, there are higher brightness and clearness of the affected note, and vice-versa. If one studies real singer's vocal reading outs, one can't but help notice that the pitch in a singer's voice will always vary a little. A little fluxing motion across the song won't alter the voice too much and mimicks a real singer. Though a real singer's voice will every so often peak spike as they sing, its not advisable you go this far unless you want to experiment with how it affects a voice. It often produces an odd result. PBS （Pitch Bend Sensitivity） Adjusts the width of the Pitch Bend. Technically, it is a multiplier of the pitch bend value, as it influences how deep the PIT can go, determining the semitones range for this one. For example, for a D3 note if the PBS is set on 3 and the PIT is set at its highest value, the note will sound like a F3 note (3 semitones higher than the original note pitch). Its maximum value is 24 semitones, the equivalent to 2 octaves. Category:Tutorials References Notes *Not all Vocaloid users will be working to the same goals. With a great deal of work, you can also use a few of these techniques to hide the digital roboticness the Vocaloid engine produces as it goes from note to note. Remember, the more dramatic the change from one note to another in the octaves (going from #C1 to #C4 for instance) will produce high levels of roboticness and not all of these techniques will be able to remove it. You can also use the parameters of the software to make the software more robotic, if that is your goal also. *Beside the use of the parameters, after the importing the WAV file, you can work the voice in some DAWs or sound editors. Some filters can add a electronic effects if you're attempting increase the robotic feeling, or for the otherwise, you can remove some of the synthesizer's artifacts for give it a more natural and human feeling. See also *Dynamics *Portamento Category:Tutorials